DIKSA MEANS RECEIVING THIS BHAKTI-LATA-BIJA AND WITHOUT RECEIVING THIS BHAKTI LATA BIJA NOBODY CAN RECEIVE “Transcendental Mellow” , THE HIGHER TASTE OF DEVOTIONAL SERVICE ! DIKSA MEANS TRANSMISSION OF DIVYA-JNANA = TRANSCENDENTAL KNOWLEDGE = TRANSCENDENTAL SIKSA = BHAKTI-LATA-BIJA = DESTROYING PROCESS OF ALL SINS = BHAJANA KRIYA = SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES = INITIATION = DIKSA ! MUST READ!
„In order to intelligently apply the sixfold loving reciprocations mentioned in the previous verse, one must select proper persons with careful discrimination. Srila Rupa Gosvami therefore advises that we should meet with the Vaisnavas in an appropriate way, according to their particular status. In this verse he tells us how to deal with three types of devotees–the kanistha-adhikari, madhyama-adhikari and uttama-adhikari. The kanistha-adhikari is a neophyte who has received the hari-nama initiation from the spiritual master and is trying to chant the holy name of Krsna. One should respect such a person within his mind as a kanistha-vaisnava. A MADHYAMA-ADHIKARI HAS RECEIVED SPIRITUAL INITIATION FROM THE SPIRITUAL MASTER AND HAS BEEN FULLY ENGAGED BY HIM IN THE TRANSCENDENTAL LOVING SERVICE OF THE LORD. The madhyama-adhikari should be considered to be situated midway in devotional service. The uttama-adhikari, or highest devotee, is one who is very advanced in devotional service. An uttama-adhikari is not interested in blaspheming others, his heart is completely clean, and he has attained the realized state of unalloyed Krsna consciousness. According to Srila Rupa Gosvami, the association and service of such a maha-bhagavata, or perfect Vaisnava, are most desirable.s to act for everyone’s welfare.“
(NoI 5)
Note:
in this verse Srila Prabhupada makes a point of Initiation as a formality this is different from Madhyama Adhikaris receiving Diksa
Diksa Given to Madhyama-adhikari is Not a Formality
GBC says: “Also contradicting his thesis is the numerous places where Srila Prabhupada said that madhyama and even kanistha devotees can act as diksa gurus”
This is a misunderstanding – you will not find ONE quote to say Kanistha or even a Madhyam devotee can act as DIKSA guru!
THE STUDENTS AND DISCIPLES ARE INITIATED ACCORDING TO AUTHORIZED PANCARATRIKI REGULATIONS
There are two aspects in initiation:
1) Formality (Pancaratriki) – name giving ceremony, fire yajna etc. ( not so important !!)
2) Real Diksa (Knowledge-divya-jnana ) – spiritual initiation received by Madhyama adhikari
So a question may be raised, why formality?
The answer is very simple: the Diksa given to Madhyama adhikari is NOT a formality. Initiation offered to neophyte/Kanistha IS a Formality. THIS is the BIG difference!!
In conformity with the establishment of the formality of a Ritvik System 9th July 1977, Srila Prabhupada’s signed directive to the society the Pancaratriki regulations were followed in this initiation. “THE STUDENTS AND DISCIPLES ARE INITIATED ACCORDING TO AUTHORIZED PANCARATRIKI REGULATIONS”
“Well, initiation or no initiation, first thing is knowledge. (break) …knowledge. Initiation is formality. Just like you go to a school for knowledge, and admission is formality. That is not very important thing.”
(SP Interview, 16/10/76, Chandigarh)
NOTE !! AGAIN:
Diksa Given to Madhyama-adhikari is Not a Formality !!! And how we become a madhyam adhikari Vaisnava ? Read next text :
The process by which a devotee becomes attached to Kṛṣṇa is described in Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya 4.192):
dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama
“At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders to the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa accepts him to be as good as He Himself.”
Dīkṣā, or spiritual initiation, is explained in the Bhakti-sandarbha (868) by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī:
divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ
“By dīkṣā one gradually becomes disinterested in material enjoyment and gradually becomes interested in spiritual life.”
We have seen many practical examples of this, especially in Europe and America. Many students who come to us from rich and respectable families quickly lose all interest in material enjoyment and become very eager to enter into spiritual life. Although they come from very wealthy families, many of them accept living conditions that are not very comfortable. Indeed, for Kṛṣṇa’s sake they are prepared to accept any living condition as long as they can live in the temple and associate with the Vaiṣṇavas. When one becomes so disinterested in material enjoyment, he becomes fit for initiation by the spiritual master. For the advancement of spiritual life Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.1.13) prescribes:
tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena ca damena ca.
When a person is serious about accepting dīkṣā, he must be prepared to practice austerity, celibacy and control of the mind and body. If one is so prepared and is desirous of receiving spiritual enlightenment (divyaṁ jñānam), he is fit for being initiated. Divyaṁ jñānam is technically called tad-vijñāna, or knowledge about the Supreme. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] when one is interested in the transcendental subject matter of the Absolute Truth, he should be initiated. Such a person should approach a spiritual master in order to take dīkṣā. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.3.21) also prescribes:
tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam.
“When one is actually interested in the transcendental science of the Absolute Truth, he should approach a spiritual master.”
One should not accept a spiritual master without following his instructions. Nor should one accept a spiritual master just to make a fashionable show of spiritual life. One must be jijñāsu, very much inquisitive to learn from the bona fide spiritual master. The inquiries one makes should strictly pertain to transcendental science (jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam).
The word uttamam refers to that which is above material knowledge. Tama means “the darkness of this material world,” and ut means “transcendental.” Generally people are very interested in inquiring about mundane subject matters, but when one has lost such interest and is simply interested in transcendental subject matters, he is quite fit for being initiated. When one is actually initiated by the bona fide spiritual master and when he seriously engages in the service of the Lord, he should be accepted as a madhyama-adhikārī.
(NOI Text 5 purport)
The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.
PURPORT
Unless one is transcendentally situated, it is not possible to cease from sense enjoyment. The process of restriction from sense enjoyment by rules and regulations is something like restricting a diseased person from certain types of eatables. The patient, however, neither likes such restrictions, nor loses his taste for eatables (….) But one who has tasted the beauty of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, in the course of his advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, no longer has a taste for dead material things. Therefore, restrictions are there for the less intelligent neophytes in the spiritual advancement of life, but such restrictions are only good if one actually has a taste for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When one is actually Kṛṣṇa conscious, he automatically loses his taste for pale things.
(Bhagavad-Gita 2.59)
“Therefore having a bona fide spiritual master and serving him and pleasing him and getting his mercy is essential. Otherwise there can be no advancement in Krishna consciousness. And unless the spiritual master is a pure devotee of Krishna then he has no potency to give you Krishna. He is simply a cheating rascal.So in fact above all the rules and regulations and offenses I have mentioned the most important thing, the essential thing, which is required if you want to come to the stage of purely chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is you must have a bona fide spiritual master who is a pure devotee of Krishna. Without having a bona fide spiritual master you can chant Hare Krishna forever but you will not be able to advance because Krishna does not reveal Himself in this way. He only reveals Himself to those devotees who surrender to and serve and please His pure devotees.”.
(SP Letter to his London disciples, July, 1969)
NOTE:
When one is actually initiated by the bona fide spiritual master and when he seriously engages in the service of the Lord ( bhajana-kriya) , he should be accepted as a madhyama-adhikārī.
So and we have clear, direct, irrefutable evidence from Srila Prabhupada’s books and signed directives, proving that the system which was set up by Srila Prabhupada for initiation in his presence was the system set up for ISKCON’s lifetime.
Bhajana-Kriya given for us all by Prabhupada:
1.
“In our Krsna consciousness movement, the requirement is that one must be prepared to give up the four pillars of sinful life: illicit sex, meat eating, intoxication and gambling. In Western countries especially, we first observe whether a potential disciple is prepared to follow the regulative principles. Then he is given the name of a Vaisnava servant and initiated to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, at least sixteen rounds daily. In this way the disciple renders devotional service under the guidance of the spiritual master==OR==! his representative ( RITVIK) for at least six months to a year. He is then recommended for a second initiation, during which a sacred thread is offered and the disciple is accepted as a bona fide brahmana.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 24:330, purport, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)2.
“Due to the necessity of these activities, we do not immediately initiate disciples in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. For six months, a candidate for initiation must first attend arati and classes in the sastras, practice the regulative principles and associate with other devotees. When one is actually advanced in the purascarya-vidhi, he is recommended by the local temple president for initiation. It is not that anyone can be suddenly initiated without meeting the requirements. When one is further advanced by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra sixteen rounds daily, following the regulative principles and attending classes, he receives the sacred thread (brahminical recognition) after the second six months.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 15:108, purport, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)3.
“Thus in the beginning the students of our Krsna consciousness movement agree to live with devotees, and gradually, having given up four prohibited activities illicit sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication they become advanced in the activities of spiritual life. When one is found to be regularly following these principles, he is given the first initiation (hari-nama), and he regularly chants at least sixteen rounds a day. Then, after six months or a year, he is initiated for the second time and given the sacred thread with the regular sacrifice and ritual.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 17:265, purport, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada).“I am the Spiritual Master of this institution, and ALL the members of the Society, they’re supposed to be MY disciples. They follow the rules and regulations which I ask them to follow, and they are INITIATED BY ME spiritually” –
(Srila Prabhupada Radio Interview, 12 March 1968, San Francisco)
NOTE:
They follow the rules and regulations which I ask them to follow, and they are INITIATED BY ME spiritually” !
INITIATED SPIRITUALLY !! DIKSA FOR MADHYAM ADHIKARI!
“And if there is actually association of spiritually self-realized person, then he will give you some process of spiritual activities. That is called bhajana-kriya. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah atha bhajana-kriya tato anartha-nivrttih syat. And as you are more and more engaged in spiritual activities, so, proportionately, your material activities and affection for material activities will diminish. Counteraction. When you engage in the spiritual activities, your material activities diminishes.!
(B.G. Lecture, 2.58-59, New York, 7th April, 1966)
Note:
Anyone who reads Srila Prabhupada’s books is associating with Srila Prabhupada, this fact is accepted by everyone. So Srila Prabhupada says “And if there is actually association of spiritually self-realized person, then he will give you some process of spiritual activities. That is called bhajana-kriya.”
This is confirmed again by the following quote:
“And if you associate with sadhu, then bhajana-kriya. If we… Just like so many thousands of Europeans, Americans, they have joined us on account of sadhu-sanga. First of all they come in the temple and hear for some days. Then all of a sudden he becomes shaven-headed. We haven’t to request. He takes a bead and bead bag, although he’s not initiated. Then, after some days, he approaches, “Please get me initiated.” The bhajana-kriya. This is called bhajana-kriya. So we initiate. “Yes, now you are interested, we initiate.” We give him hari-nama: “Chant Hare Krsna mantra.” This is the first initiation. “And chant sixteen rounds and observe these rules and regulations.” Then, when I see, six months or one year, he’s doing very nicely, then we accept him as my disciple, the second initiation. So this is bhajana-kriya. Then he’s admitted to worship the Deity or cook for the Deity, so many things. Bhajana-kriya.”
(Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture 1.2.18 Calcutta, September 26, 1974)
Note:
So Srila Prabhupada is giving the process of Diksa = transmission of transcendental knowledge = divya-jnana= transcendental siksa= Bhakti-lata bija= Destroying process of all sins = bhajana-kriyia = spiritual activities = Initation= DIKSA in and through his original books, WHO CAN REFUTE THIS FACT ???
Therefore Srila Prabhupada is the Initating Spiritual Master (Diksa Guru) for everyone in ISKCON.
Srila Prabhupada lives forever from his original books, we only need to preserve and utilise them. We can utilise them by reading and living them and also by distributing them to everyone on the planet so they can do the same.
NOTE:
Some people consider diksa just a matter of formality. Someone will chant on you beads (no matter whether he chants Nama or nama-aparadha), give you a new name, say the Gayatri mantras into your ear, make a fire sacrifice, and then if this person is “officially GBC 2/3 Hand vote certified” as a “bona-fide GBC rubber stamp-guru” you automatically have diksa.
Even if after some time your guru falls down, no harm since you are “connected to the sampradaya”. You can try another one or even may go on without accepting a new guru because you have “diksa” already. Sounds good, isn’t it? But this is a superficial CHEATING PROCESS!
But can it really be true that to connect you to the sampradaya it’s enough to have a GBC 2/3 hand vote rubber stamped -guru devotee. Maybe kanistha-adikari or madhyam-adikari , or just a little bit more advanced than you, chant on your beads and conduct a fire sacrifice?
Srila Jiva Gosvami advises that one not accept a spiritual master in terms of hereditary or customary social, and ecclesiastical conventions. ”
(CC (BBT 1975) Adi 1.35)
BUT :
„The GBC is the highest ecclesiastical body guiding ISKCON.“
(Back To Godhead)
NOTE:
No. Doesn’t work this way. If the guru is not powerful enough means not a uttama-adikari Vaisnava and when he is voted in by an ecclesiastical body like GBC this so-called “diksa” is useless. It’s just a formality, an imitation. You will have your beads, your new name and a fire yajna, but you will not have the main thing, bhakti-lata-bija. Rather, instead of the bhakti-lata-bija you may get some other kind of bija, as nicely put by Srila Prabhupada:
“This bhakti-lata-bija is received when one is initiated by the bona fide spiritual master.”
(Madhya 19.152)
Note:
bona fide guru means uttama-adikari with special DIRECT authorization to act as diksa-guru from his successor acarya.Only such a acarya can have and therefore transmit FULL divya-jnana and only HE can give bhakti-latta-bija and therefore suddha-nama, ruci-nama chanting and prema.
“A serious disciple must be alert when selecting a bona fide spiritual master. He must be sure that the spiritual master can deliver all the transcendental necessities. The spiritual master must observe how inquisitive the disciple is and how eager he is to understand the transcendental subject matter. . . …”
(Cc. Ch. 24, Txt 330)
“If one is not fortunate enough to receive the bhakti-lata-bija from the spiritual master, he instead cultivates such seeds as karma-bija, jnana-bija, or political, social or philanthropic bijas.”
(Madhya 19.152)
“Diksa actually means initiating a disciple with transcendental knowledge by which he becomes freed from all material contamination.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 4:112, purport)
NOTE:
So, do you think that anyone initiated into chanting Nama and diksa-mantra is able to give you suddha-nama and divya-jnana and destroy all your papa, sins for many lifetimes?
“Diksa is the process by which one can awaken his transcendental knowledge and vanquish all reactions caused by sinful activity. A person expert in the study of the revealed scriptures knows this process as diksa.”
(Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila, 15.108, purport)
The particular loving mood or attitude relished in the exchange of love with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is called rasa, or mellow. The different types of rasa, when combined together, help one to taste the mellow of devotional service in the highest degree of transcendental ecstasy. Such a position, although entirely transcendental to our experience, will be explained in this section as far as possible, following in the footsteps of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī.
Without relishing some sort of mellow or loving mood in one’s activities, no one can continue to perform such activities. Similarly, in the transcendental life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service there must be some mellow or specific taste from the service. Generally this mellow is experienced by chanting, hearing, worshiping in the temple and being engaged in the service of the Lord. So when a person feels transcendental bliss; that is called “relishing the mellow.” To be more clear, we may understand that the various feelings of happiness derived from discharging devotional service may be termed the “mellows” of devotional service.
This relishing of transcendental mellow in discharging devotional service cannot be experienced by all classes of men because this sweet loving mood is developed only from one’s previous life’s activities, or by the association of unalloyed devotees. As explained above, association with pure devotees is the beginning of faith in devotional service. Only by developing such faith in the association of a pure devotee, or by having in one’s previous life executed devotional activities, can one actually relish the mellow of devotional service. In other words, this transcendental bliss is not to be enjoyed by any common man unless he is so extraordinarily fortunate as to be in association with devotees or to be continuing his previous birth’s devotional activities.
The gradual process of development to the stage of devotional service is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto: “The beginning is to hear about Lord Kṛṣṇa in the association of devotees who have themselves cleansed their hearts by association. Hearing about the transcendental activities of the Lord will result in one’s feeling transcendental bliss always.” It is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that for one who has actually come to the spiritual platform, the first symptom visible will be that he is always joyful. This joyous life is attained by one’s reaction to reading the Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, or else from associating with persons who are very interested in the spiritual life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness-specifically those who have made the determination to achieve the favor of Govinda by being engaged in transcendental loving service at His lotus feet. Being encouraged by such a feeling, one who is constantly engaged in discharging the regulative principles of devotional service in such a way as to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead develops two principles of compelling force, which come under the heading of vibhāva. Thus one enjoys transcendental bliss.
(NOD Chapter Twenty “Transcendental Mellow”)
Note:
It is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that for one who has actually come to the spiritual platform, the first symptom visible will be that he is always joyful. This joyous life is attained by one’s reaction to reading the Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam(……)
“In my books the philosophy of Krishna Consciousness is explained fully, so if there is anything which you do not understand, then you simply have to read again and again. By reading daily the knowledge will be revealed to you and by this process your spiritual life will develop.”
(SP Letter Baharupa 11/22/74)
“Then you can say ‘Yes, I know everything’ Diksa. Diksa, initiation, diksa, this Sanskrit word, diksa, means divya-jnanam ksipayati ask from spiritual master with service and surrender the transcendental knowledge. The more you ask, you become a man of knowledge. Then you can challenge, and then ‘Yes, I know everything’. ”
(SP Morning Walk 11th June 1974)
“Everyone of you must regularly read our books at least twice, in the morning and evening, and automatically all questions will be answered.”
(SP Letter Ranadhir 1/24/70)
In 1972, when Prabhupada gave a series of lectures on The Nectar of Devotion for one month in Vrindavan, a thought was plaguing me. When I first joined, I’d been taught that the parampara system is like a chain, and if you’re not initiated, if you’re not linked up to this chain, then you can’t go back to Godhead. I thought, “We’re distributing so many books, but if the people who read them are not initiated, then they can’t go back to Godhead.” So, one day I followed Prabhupada from Rupa Goswami’s samadhi, where he lectured, and just before Prabhupada stepped onto his courtyard, I said, “We’re distributing so many books but if people aren’t initiated, then they can’t go back to Godhead.”
Prabhupada turned, looked at me right in the eyes and said, “Just by reading my books they are initiated.” I thought, “That is an incredible example of compassion.
(Srila Prabhupada to Vaikunthanatha Dasa 1972 in Vrindavan. Reported by Vaikunthanatha Dasa)
“Eternal bond between disciple and Spiritual Master begins from the day he hears.”
(SP Letter to Jadurani, 4/9/72)
“These are not ordinary books. It is recorded chanting. Anyone who reads, he is hearing.”
(Letter to Rupanuga Das, 19/10/74)
“The spiritual master by his words [my add. DIKSA] , can penetrate into the heart of the suffering person and inject knowledge transcendental which alone can extinguish the fire of material existence.”
(S.B. 1.7.22, purport)
Devotee:
Srila Prabhupada when you’re not present with us, how is it possible to receive instructions? For example in questions that may arise…Srila Prabhupada:
Well the questions are answ…answers are there in my books.
(SP Morning Walk, Los Angeles, 13/5/73)Srila Prabhupada:
Even a moments association with a pure devotee – all success!Revatinanda:
Does that apply to reading the words of a pure devotee?Srila Prabhupada:
YesRevatinanda:
Even a little association with your books has the same effect?Srila Prabhupada:
Effect. Of course it requires both things. One must be very eager to take it.
(SP Room Conversation, 13/12/70)
Note:
We must be VERY EAGER to take the nectar in Prabhupadas transcendental books = divya-jnana = diksa.
Paramahamsa:
My question is, a pure devotee, when he comments on Bhagavad Gita, someone who never sees him physically, but he just comes in contact with the commentary, explanation, is this the same thing?Srila Prabhupada:
Yes. You can associate with Krishna by reading Bhagavad-Gita. And these saintly persons, they have given their explanations, comments. So where is the difficulty?
(SP Morning Walk, Paris 11/6/74)
“First He says the spiritual master awakens the sleeping living entity to his original consciousness so that he can worship Lord Visnu. This is the purpose of diksa or initiation. Initiation means receiving the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness.”
[Madhya-Lila 9.61,purport]
Your servant,
Mathias Sabji
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